Mandal merger plan blocks Rythu Bharosa for Patancheru farmers

Over 27,000 farmers from Patancheru were denied Rythu Bharosa assistance despite being eligible. Officials cite possible exclusion due to proposed municipal mergers. The BRS has announced protests, while the local Congress leadership seeks action from the Agriculture Minister.

Sangareddy: While farmers across Telangana have started receiving the Rythu Bharosa assistance, thousands in the Patancheru Assembly segment were denied the benefit for reasons unclear to local officials.

The State government released the Rythu Bharosa funds for farmers owning up to five acres as of Thursday. However, no farmers from Patancheru, Jinnaram, Ameenpur, and Ramachandrapuram mandals received the benefit, unlike their counterparts in Gummadidala mandal, who were covered under the scheme.

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A total of 27,120 eligible farmers from 48 villages in these four mandals were expected to receive Rythu Bharosa amounting to approximately Rs 13 crore. These villages have been proposed for merger into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) or newly created municipalities, which is being cited as the possible reason for their exclusion from the scheme.

Despite being in peri-urban zones, these villages collectively cultivate around 21,700 acres. They have dedicated agriculture officers who are actively involved in extension services and providing support to farmers.

Since Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced the release of the Rythu Bharosa scheme aid on June 17, anxious farmers have been visiting agriculture offices seeking clarification on their exclusion. Mandal Agriculture Officer Manohara stated that the matter has been taken up with higher officials and confirmed that the farmers are actively cultivating land.

Meanwhile, the BRS party is preparing to launch a large-scale protest in Patancheru, demanding the immediate release of Rythu Bharosa funds to the affected farmers.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a farmer from Jinnaram, Srinivas, said they had received the benefit during the BRS regime without issues. “We were denied the benefit last year and now again. We are farmers like anyone else in the State,” he said.

Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Congress constituency in-charge Kata Srinivas Goud have submitted representations to Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao, urging prompt intervention to resolve the issue.